human rights defender
Manuchekhr Kholiknazarov
Actions and Campaigns
© Martin Ennals Award
Urgent support needed
Legal and medical assistance
Organization affiliation
- Coalition on Housing Rights
- Commission 44
- Lawyers Association of Pamir
- Public Council on Police Reform
HRD's year of birth
1980
HRD's Gender
Man
Type of HRD
- Lawyer
- NGO member
HRD's thematic area of engagement
- Civil and political rights
- Minorities’ rights
HRD's geographical origin
Semi urban
HRD's bio and work
Manuchehr Kholiqnazarov is a prominent human rights lawyer and activist from the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) of Tajikistan, widely recognized for his dedication to the rule of law and marginalized communities. As the long-time Director of the Lawyers Association of Pamir (LAP), one of the few civil society organizations that operated in the region, he spent years providing free legal aid, defending victims of discrimination, and promoting human rights education.
In November 2021, following mass protests in the city of Khorog over the law-enforcement killing of a local resident, Kholiqnazarov joined "Commission 44," a joint coalition of civil society members and local officials created to investigate the unrest and document state security abuses. His legitimate human rights mediation drew the ire of Tajik authorities, leading to his arrest in May 2022 during a sweeping regional crackdown.
Following a closed-door, unfair trial, he was sentenced in December 2022 to 16 years in a strict-regime penal colony on politically motivated charges. His courageous efforts under severe state repression earned him international solidarity, culminating in him being named a laureate of the prestigious Martin Ennals Award in late 2024.
Current Status
In prison (sentenced)
Detained since
May 28, 2022
Charge(s)
- Extremism
- Membership in an illegal organisation
Sentence
16 years in prison
Latitude: 38.5635164
Longitude: 68.791194
Geolocation of detention
Country or area of detention
Region of detention
- Asia: Central Asia
Location of detention - City/Town
Dushanbe
Location of detention - Facility
Correctional institution Yas 3/7
Allegations / reports of ill-treatment
He suffers from severe, chronic back pain due to a pre-existing spinal condition that has been severely exacerbated by the harsh environmental realities of his confinement and a lack of access to adequate specialized medical care.
Recent case update / evolution
The case against Manuchehr Kholiqnazarov began in the wake of November 2021 mass protests in Khorog, Tajikistan, which erupted after state security forces killed a local resident. As a respected lawyer, Kholiqnazarov joined "Commission 44," an independent body formed by local activists and authorities to mediate between the community and the government, investigate the killing, and document police brutality. His peaceful mediation and legal support for victims prompted a retaliatory backlash from the Tajik government, resulting in his arrest in May 2022 during a sweeping security crackdown in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). Tajik authorities placed his case under strict state secrecy and subjected him to a closed-door trial before the Supreme Court without access to a fair legal defense.
On December 9, 2022, the court convicted Manuchehr Kholiqnazarov on politically motivated charges, including participating in a criminal association and organizing activities of an extremist organization, and sentenced him to 16 years in a strict-regime penal colony. International human rights bodies have thoroughly condemned these actions, detailing that his conviction was based entirely on fabricated charges aimed at suppressing his legitimate human rights advocacy.
Any other relevant documents
Joint communication, UN special procedures, Réf. :AL TJK 1/2023 , https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=28026
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Opinion No. 19/2024 concerning Faromuz Irgashov, Khursandsho Mamadshoev and Manuchehr Kholiknazarov (Tajikistan), A/HRC/WGAD/2024/19, https://docs.un.org/en/A/HRC/WGAD/2024/19
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